Floor construction



May 12, E936. A. J. wERNl-:TTE

I FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 19, 1935 x .v. 1.0. .D

Patented May 1,2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a floor construction and its object is toprovide reinforced concrete slabs of new and novel construction whichcan be assembled readily to form a sub-floor over which the ordinaryflooring of wood can be laid.

It is a further object to provide slabs of this character which, whenproperly assembled, will cooperate to grip and hold nailing strips towhich flooring can be fastened in the usual way or to which ceilingpanels can be secured depending upon the location of these stripsrelative to the slabs.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrange ment of parts without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred forms of the invention havebeen shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a section through a portion of floorconstruction embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section through a modified construction, a portion beingbroken away.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 Figure 3.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, I designates aframe member or sill formed of concrete or the like and it is to beunderstood that a number of these will be used in the structure of thebuilding. They are adapted to be directly engaged by and to support theslabs constituting the subject matter of the present invention. If theseslabs are to be used in the formation of a basement floor, they can restdirectly on sills or other suitable foundations but where used in theconstruction of upper oors, the slabs will rest on frame members of anysuitable construction such, for example, as the concrete one indicatedat I.

The sub-floor is made up of any required number of slabs and in thestructure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 each slab includes a flat topportion 2 having depending side anges 3 extending throughout the lengthof the slab. The top portion of the slab can be reinforced by ribs 4molded upon the lower surface thereof and connecting the flanges. Eachslab is formed of concrete molded in one piece and is preferablyreinforced by means of metal rods or fabric 5 or the like embedded notonly in the top portion 2 but also in the anges 3.

The sides of each slab are provided at their tops with V-shaped groovesor channels 6 extending longitudinally thereof and if desired, 5 similargrooves or channels l can be formed in the sides at the bottomsthereof.. Thus when two slabs are placed together side by side thechannels 6 therein will cooperate to form a dovetail groove and the samewill be true of the chan- 10 nels l.

It is to be understood of course that the slabs constituting thesub-floor units can be made of any sizes and shapes desired and if theyare to be used solely for the bottom floor of a building, 15 thechannels 'l can be dispensed with. If they are to be used solely for theroof of the building the channels (i can be dispensed with. Inter#mediate floors, however, are preferably constructed with slabs such asshown in Figures 1 20 and 2 so that both floor boards and ceiling panelscan be joined thereto.

When assembling the slabs or sub-floor units they are placed on theirsupports I with their sides spaced apart and nailing strips 8 having 25dove-tail tongues 9 are then placed upon the adjacent faces of the unitsso that the tongues 9 will rest within the dove-tail grooves formed bythe cooperating sub-floor units. With the nailing strips 8 thuspositioned between the sub- 30 floor units, the said units are movedtoward each other so as to grip the tongues 9 and hold the nailingstrips firmly with portions thereof bearing upon the upper and/,0r lowerfaces of the subocr units. After all of the sub-floor units have 35 thusbeen assembled with their nailing strips, ooring such as indicated atII) can be fastened to Athe upper nailing strips 8 and ceiling panels II can be fastened to those nailing strips gripped by and supportedbeneath the sub-floor units.

Under some Yconditions the sub-floor slabs or units can be constructedand mounted as shown in Figure 3. In that gure reinforced concrete beamsare provided in parallel relation as shown at I2, the sides of thesebeams being formed with 45 angular recesses I3 so as to providesupporting shoulders I4 formed by the lower walls of the recesses.

Each sub-floor unit designed for use in connection With these beams canbe substantially 50 the same as the units heretofore described with theexception that the ilat top portion I5 has side flanges I6 extendingcrosswise between the beams and one or more transverse ribs I1 of anydesired proportions can be made integral with 55 VVV10 VThe slabs shownin Figure 3 have their sides Vmade angular so as to fit properly withinthe recesses I3 and on the shoulders I4 and between A the meeting endsof the slabs are provided dovetail grooves I8 for receiving nailingstrips I9 similar to those heretofore described. Thus the flooringindicated at 20 will be extended parallel with the beams I2. 'I'hechannels or grooves I8 will be located in the corner portions `of theslabs in the same manner as shown in Figure 1 and the nailing strips I9will be shaped and held 1n the same manner as the strips 8.

It is to be understood that Various modifications of the invention canbe made within the scope of the claims.

In any or all constructions lthe rs'labs can,

if desired, be formed Vwith matching tongues and Y grooves 2| and 22respectively, at the sides thereof so 'that the slabsewill be held`positively against relative up, and down 'movement vand vibrationwilllle 'elirr'iinated I V,VVhfat claimed is:

" lll VA vconcrete floor construction comprising assembled,'prefabricated units Vand including reinfrc'zed concrete supports'having inset longitudinal shoulders with overhangs, reinforced slabspositioned side by side and having depending side flanges, said slabsabutting endwise and interposed between the supports and bearing againsttheir shoulders and overhangs, and intertting means at the meetingflanged sides of the slabs of each pair for holding them againstrelative movement, the meeting sides of the slabs having channelscooperating to provide dove-tail channels opening atthe adjacent exposedsurfaces of the slabsufor holding dove-.tail nailing strips.

2. Aconcrete'floor construction comprising assembled, prefabricatedunits and including reinforced concrete supports having insetlongitudinal`Y shoulders with overhangs, reinforced slabs positionedside by side and having depending side flanges, said slabs abuttingendwise and interposed between the supports and bearing against theirshoulders and overhangs, and intertting means at the meeting flangedsides of the slabs of each` pair forjholdingthem against relativemovement, tne'meeting sidesof tne'smbs having channels 'cooperating toprovide "doie tail channels opening at the adjacent surfaces of theslabs, and nailing 'strips 'having dove-tail tongues seated in thedove-tail channels, :said strips'vrlying the exposed surfaces of theslabs adjacent to the channels. Y

ADOLPH J. WERNE'I'TE.

